Firelighter



Patented Nov. 11, 1924.

* UNITED STTES To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEO C. VVnRsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cresco, in the county of Monroe and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Firelighter, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to a fire lighter adapted to be saturated with kerosene or other inflammable substance and disposed beneath a grate for lighting a fire.

The general object of my invention is to provide a fire lighter as indicated which will apply the flame efiectively for igniting the wood so that even large pieces of wood will be ignited.

A further important object is to provide novel means appurtenant to the fire lighter for holding the same on the grate.

The nature of the invention and its distinguishing features and advantages will clearly appear as the description proceeds.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, it being understood that the drawings are merely illustrative of one example of the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan'view of a fire lighter embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross section as indicated by the line 22, Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the lighting head on an enlarged scale as indicated by the line 3-3, Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the lighter applied to a grate shown in transverse vertical section.

In carrying out my invention in practice in accordance with the illustrated example. an elongated handle portion is provided made from a wire formed into a loop 10 to give resiliency and arms 11, 12 extending forwardly from said loop. One arm terminates in an upwardly extending member 13 the upper end 14 of which is directed outwardly preferably on curved lines. The material forming the opposite arm is carried upwardly at the front end of said arm and returned on itself to provide a double member 15, the upper nd 16 of which is carried outwardly preferably on curved lines.

From the arm 15 at the base of the latter, the wire or equivalent material is directed laterally inward obliquely as indicated at Application filed March 9, 1923.

LED 0. Wesson, or oan'sco, PENNSYLVANIA.

FIRELIGHTER.

Serial No. 623,972.

17 and then forwardly to form a spindle 18 approximately at the medial line of the lighter. The member 18 forms the core of a lighting head which is composed of a mass of asbestos or likenon-com-bustible material wound spirally with a wire wrapping 19, the ends 21 of which are carried laterally inward and looped about the member 18 at the front and rear ends of the latter.

The members 13, 15 constitute means to engage the lighter with a grate A of a stove, furnace, or the like, the invention being useful generally with stoves and furnaces of different kinds, or with fire places, requiring the lighting of a fire. In using the device, lateral pressure is applied to the arms 11 and 12 to cause one or both to flex laterally so that the members 13, 15 will be in sufliciently close relation to pass the upper ends thereof upwardly between the grate bars so that upon the ressure on the arms 11, 12 being released the said arms will expand and spread the holding members 13, 15 so that their upper ends will engage the grate bars. The lighting head is then ignited. In practice the head is left soaking in kerosene, gasoline, or the like, so as to be ready when required and therefor after the positioning of the lighter beneath the grate it remains only to ignite the lighting head, said head serving to hold sufficient inflammable substances to effectively light a fire within, though the fire be laid with comparatively large wood.

I would state in conclusion that while the illustrated example constitutes a practical embodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself strictly to the exact details herein illustrated, since. manifestly, the same can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A lighter of the class described comprising a handle presenting resilient side arms, the material of said arms being carried upwardly and outwardly to form grateengaging members, said material extending forwardly beyond the grate-engaging members of the arms and carrying a lighting head.

2. A fire lighter of the class described comprising a handle bent into the form of a spring loop and provided with arms extending forwardly from said loop, said arms having members extending upwardly and outwardly to engage a grate, the material of one of the arms forward of the grate-engaging members being carried laterally in- Ward obliquely and then carried forwardly minal member.

LEO C. WERSON. 

